Sam Sulek
American professional bodybuilder and YouTuber
Sam Sulek (American professional bodybuilder and YouTuber) has appeared as a guest on 1 episode in TMT. Topics they speak about most include Self-coaching in bodybuilding, Training intensity versus optimisation, GLP-1 receptor agonists.
In their words
Positions and remarks grouped by topic, each with the exact quote and where it was said.
Self-coaching in bodybuilding
Sulek says a prescribed plan from a coach would feel like homework to him.
“if you gave me a piece of paper that had the workout for the day and my meals for the day”
Modern Wisdom: How To Go Hard, Even When You Don’t Want To - Sam Sulek - #1157 (Oct 1, 2026) · Listen from 1:16:32
Sulek says influencer bodybuilders often attract drama when they hire coaches, one reason he coaches himself.
“they always just get drama when they get a coach”
Modern Wisdom: How To Go Hard, Even When You Don’t Want To - Sam Sulek - #1157 (Oct 1, 2026) · Listen from 1:16:43
Training intensity versus optimisation
Sulek argues exercise science studies use subjects unrepresentative of serious lifters.
“the people in these studies are not me. And they're not a lot of other people who want to work out super hard either”
Modern Wisdom: How To Go Hard, Even When You Don’t Want To - Sam Sulek - #1157 (Oct 1, 2026) · Listen from 9:49
Sulek says he prioritises training intensity over training precision.
“I'd rather train super hard than super smart is kind of how I would put it”
Modern Wisdom: How To Go Hard, Even When You Don’t Want To - Sam Sulek - #1157 (Oct 1, 2026) · Listen from 9:34
GLP-1 receptor agonists
Sulek says he hasn't tried GLP-1s because his appetite makes dieting manageable.
“I'm kind of right in the, I call it a sweet spot of diet”
Modern Wisdom: How To Go Hard, Even When You Don’t Want To - Sam Sulek - #1157 (Oct 1, 2026) · Listen from 1:36:49
Retatrutide
Sulek claims companies bundling retatrutide in ads are offloading stock before expected regulatory action.
“Because all these companies are about to get cease and desisted”
Modern Wisdom: How To Go Hard, Even When You Don’t Want To - Sam Sulek - #1157 (Oct 1, 2026) · Listen from 1:29:17
Peptide therapy
Sulek reports that GHK-Cu has visibly improved his skin.
“I can definitely tell my skin's looking a little better from that one”
Modern Wisdom: How To Go Hard, Even When You Don’t Want To - Sam Sulek - #1157 (Oct 1, 2026) · Listen from 1:27:47
Social media and self-presentation
Sulek argues the most successful creators document what they would be doing anyway rather than forcing relatability.
“the guys who end up doing the best are the ones where what they're doing is just what they would be doing anyway”
Modern Wisdom: How To Go Hard, Even When You Don’t Want To - Sam Sulek - #1157 (Oct 1, 2026) · Listen from 1:11:32
Bodybuilding culture
Sulek compares the character-driven bodybuilding of the 1990s and early 2000s to professional wrestling.
“yeah, the 90s, early 2000s, like, it was to the same prestige as, like, the WWE”
Modern Wisdom: How To Go Hard, Even When You Don’t Want To - Sam Sulek - #1157 (Oct 1, 2026) · Listen from 1:01:07
Self-improvement
Sulek advises beginners to start small, since early incremental changes are proportionally large.
“to start from zero is half the hardest part but also half the easiest part because the smallest incremental changes are percentage-wise huge”
Modern Wisdom: How To Go Hard, Even When You Don’t Want To - Sam Sulek - #1157 (Oct 1, 2026) · Listen from 50:27
Winter arc
Sulek recommends asking what your future self would want you to do now.
“But it's like, what would you in a year want you to do right now? I love that question”
Modern Wisdom: How To Go Hard, Even When You Don’t Want To - Sam Sulek - #1157 (Oct 1, 2026) · Listen from 38:08
Marriage and long-term partnership
Sulek challenges men who say they are not ready for kids, arguing time is running out.
“well, when, when are you going to be ready, man? You know, like time's kind of ticking”
Modern Wisdom: How To Go Hard, Even When You Don’t Want To - Sam Sulek - #1157 (Oct 1, 2026) · Listen from 25:20
Appearances
How To Go Hard, Even When You Don’t Want To - Sam Sulek - #1157Modern Wisdom · Oct 1, 2026 · 1 h 41 min
Chris Williamson and bodybuilder Sam Sulek discuss training hard over optimising, married life, winter discipline, bodybuilding culture, self-coaching, and peptides.
Often appears with
- Chris Williamson · 1 shared episode